Closing costs are everything you pay beyond your down payment to complete an Ontario home purchase. This page breaks down every category: legal fees, disbursements, Land Transfer Tax, title insurance, and day-of adjustments, with our flat fee and a free calculator built in.
Four buckets make up almost everything you'll pay beyond your down payment.
Known upfront, HST included, with everything extra itemized separately.
Our charges cover all the standard legal work for a residential purchase: title search and review, reviewing your Agreement of Purchase and Sale, preparing and registering the transfer, coordinating with your lender on mortgage registration, and administering your file through to closing day. Everything billed separately — disbursements and Land Transfer Tax — is itemized and estimated in writing before any work begins, so the number you see here, your written quote, and your final Statement of Account all match.
Third-party costs your lawyer pays on your behalf, then passes through — never marked up.
Every disbursement is itemized and estimated in writing before you commit — never bundled into a vague "disbursements included" line.
A government tax, calculated on the purchase price and paid on closing — separate from our fee.
For most purchases, Land Transfer Tax is the biggest single closing cost outside your legal fee. It's charged on a marginal scale (roughly 0.5%–2.5% for most homes), with Toronto adding its own municipal tax on top, and first-time buyer rebates worth up to $4,000 provincially and $4,475 in Toronto.
The statement of adjustments settles costs between you and the seller as of closing day.
Your lawyer prepares the statement of adjustments and walks you through the final numbers before closing day, so the amount you're asked to bring is never a surprise.
Title insurance is a one-time premium — usually one of the larger disbursements on your closing statement — that protects you and your lender against certain problems with title that a search might not catch: fraud, survey issues, or defects that arose before you owned the property. Most lenders require it, and it's standard practice on Ontario closings even for cash purchases. We arrange it as part of every file. For more detail, see Title Insurance in Ontario: What It Covers and Why You Need It →
Movers, utility transfer or setup fees, and a locksmith for the new keys sit outside your legal closing costs entirely — they're worth budgeting for separately and booking early, especially around month-end closing dates when movers are busiest.
Already covered this ground in more detail — worth a read if your situation is first-time-buyer specific, or if you're selling rather than buying.
Selling your current home at the same time? See our selling a home in Ontario page, or if you're financing the purchase, our mortgage page covers new financing and refinances alike.
What you pay beyond your down payment depends on your purchase price, whether the property is in Toronto, and the specifics of your deal. Legal fees, disbursements, and Land Transfer Tax make up the bulk of it — use the calculator above for a fast estimate.
Legal fees are our charges for the professional work on your file — a flat amount, HST included. Disbursements are third-party costs, like search and registration fees, that we pay on your behalf and pass through to you at cost. Both appear separately, itemized, on your quote and final statement.
Most lenders require it, and it's standard practice on Ontario closings even for cash purchases. It's a one-time premium that protects you and your lender against certain title defects. We arrange it as part of your file.
Closing costs are paid from your closing funds on closing day. Everything is itemized and estimated in writing beforehand, so there are no surprises. Nothing is due to start your file.
No. Land Transfer Tax is a separate government tax, not part of our legal fee, and it's billed at cost. Use our Land Transfer Tax calculator for an instant estimate specific to your purchase price and location.
Open your file tonight — a licensed Ontario lawyer will confirm every closing cost with you in writing.